Pinoy Sa-wrap

It makes me so proud to share FEATR’s feature about the Ilocos empanada! 🥰

Being Ilocanos from Laoag and Vigan, my husband and I grew up eating empanadas. Although we were used to eating two different kinds, there was really never a competition to see which is better. Each has its own unique quality and magic.

When we came to live in the US, we never lost the appreciation and the appetite for our empanada and what they symbolize.

That’s why when we opened PPinoy Sa-wrap we already knew that we were going to offer empanada, especially because we were already making Vigan longganisa and we already had quite a following of Ilocano longganisa lovers. The empanada was never far behind.

But of course, always wanting to be different, we came up with the LUMPIANADA, our version of the Ilocos Empanada.

We took the best parts of the Laoag empanada and the Vigan empanada - mixing papaya and balatong (mung beans), the thinness of the wrapper and the secret ingredient- the authentic longganisa - to come up with a unique but still identifiable Ilocano favorite.

I hope our little takeout kitchen can bring this same simple joy and happiness in the US, especially now that the Ilocos empanada is getting the spotlight it deserves.

Salamat po sa lahat na ng nakatikim ng aming Lumpianada sa Carson. Let’s be proud of our country, our heritage, and our culinary riches! Mangan tayon!